Old Orange Street school turning 100

District collecting historical materials for celebration

Miriam Testasecca holds her grandmother Gospie Allman’s 1919 diploma from the Orange Street School on Wednesday afternoon at the building, at 40 Orange St. Former students and teachers have been donating historical items for an exhibit at what is now the school board building.

History is making its way back to 40 Orange St., now home of the district offices for the St. Johns County school system.

But thousands of people remember the building as their school. Now they’re bringing back photographs, books and other items in preparation for a massive 100th birthday party for the building on Oct. 3.

“People are beginning to call us or come by and drop things off,” said Margie Davidson, who heads up public relations for the district. She’s also head of the committee drawing up the birthday plans.

“We thought 100 years deserves some recognition, especially since the building has been part of the school system for all those years,” Davidson said.Celebration plans include exhibits and performances highlighting the past century at 40 Orange. An archaeology dig, reception and building tours are scheduled for the Oct. 3 celebration at the building.

In addition, educational activities will be hosted; a collection of educational memorabilia collected especially for the centennial celebration will be displayed.

Built for $60,000

The school, which was state-of-the-art when it opened in 1910, was built for about $60,000 and originally opened as the St. Augustine High & Graded School.

As the school’s population changed, so did its name, going from the high school designation to St. Augustine Junior High & Graded School and later Orange Street Grammar School and, finally, Orange Street Elementary School.

By 1979, the board was looking at closing it down, but suggestions it be torn down never came to fruition. In 1981 it closed. Eventually, the building reopened after renovations and became the district office.

A variety of items has already been donated or loaned, including primers, ledger books, flags, World War II workbooks and letters, and even a school alarm that once hung in the building.

“It’s still working,” Davidson said, pulling the chain on the metal alarm.

Probably some of the best of the history returning to the school are the memories being shared both by one-time employees or students.

Centennial Committee

Many of those on the Centennial Committee have direct links to the school either as former students or employees.

Current Orange Street employee Miriam Testasecca not only works in the building, but both her mother and grandmother attended school there.

Martha Mickler remembers attending first through seventh grades at the school and being able to go home for lunch. Her mother also attended the school as a girl.

Mickler worked in the Orange Street school until her retirement last year. She was assistant superintendent.

Sharing memories

Mary Willis was a teacher for 35 years and can show you the room in the northeast corner of the building where she was once an intern. She remembers being called over from Ketterlinus High School to serve as a substitute in the school.

“They paid me $1.50 for half a day. I guess they couldn’t find a substitute,” she recalled.

She remembers, as a teacher in 1981, when, “We closed down after the Christmas party, and in January we were at Hartley Elementary School.”

It wasn’t until the Centennial meetings that she realized there was a 40-year time span between “when I first entered the school and the last time I taught at it as a school.”

Two of the district’s school board members also are serving on the committee – Chairman Bill Mignon and District 5 member Carla Wright. Both attended Ketterlinus High School. Wright’s father attended Orange Street in 1927.

Several members of the Pinkham family are on the committee, including Jack Pinkham. His grandfather, W.S.M. Pinkham, obtained the federal land the school was built on and was superintendent of schools when Orange Street was built.

BE A BRICK AND BUY A BRICK

A brick walk will commemorate the Centennial Celebration of 40 Orange St.The walk comes with a long title: Remembering the Past by Paving the Way to the Future.

Commemorative bricks are being sold to help support various educational activities centering on the celebration.

“The brick walk will be in a prime spot at the main entrance,” said Gina Fallica, who works at Orange Street and is on the Centennial Committee. “Buying one of the bricks is a wonderful way to honor someone.”

Bricks are four inches by eight inches and cost $75. Bricks will be engraved with a maximum of three lines. For an additional fee of $10 artwork can be added. Donors get a free miniature replica brick as a keepsake. The donation is tax-deductible.

The brick walk will be unveiled on Oct. 3 during the “Open Schoolhouse” celebration.

Although the school district is closed this week as part of energy cost savings efforts, they will reopen on July 26.

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I attended Orange Street School for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th, and 7th, grades. I still remember the impact that Mrs. Frink, Miss Dunklin, Mrs. Mills, Mrs. Howatt, Mr. Cameron, Col. Hennessey, Mr. Mills, and the Principal (Iris Palethorpe) had on me. We'd line up outside the school until Bessie came out to ring the bell when it was time to come in. How great it was to be a member of the school crossing guard team. The cafeteria food was a real treat -- especially the cherry cobbler. Those were the days.

"As the school’s population changed, so did its name, going from the high school designation to St. Augustine Junior High & Graded School and later Orange Street Grammar School and, finally, Orange Street Elementary School."

The population changed with integration and at that time the school was called Orange Street Elementary School. They bused kids that lived in town to the 6th and 7th grade centers. Then we returned to town and attended Ketterlinus for Junior High.